{"sf1_id":1702061,"sf2_id":"znJ9qqmk","title":"Reaching for the Stars - Chapter 38: Home Sweet Home, Part 1","author":"hashtse_apxan","words":3918,"posted_at":"2021-04-01T19:52:00.000Z","tags":["Character Development","College","Doberman","Dog","Gay","German Shepherd","Leopard","M/M","No-Yiff","Panther","Plot Development","Romance","Story Series","University","Wolf"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1702061-reaching-for-the-stars-chapter-38-home-sweet-home-part-1","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/znJ9qqmk","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/18/90/18900d78-768e-4bc9-8ab4-a68ec40e868b","description":"#39 of Reaching for the Stars","content":"Tom put the last piece of lemper on the plate. That was all, the snacks were ready for tonight, well, extras since apparently his guests liked his snacks and they ran out. The wolf let out a satisfied sigh and brought the plate to the living room. \"Here's more lemper.\"\n\n\"Great!\"\n\n\"Nice!\"\n\n\"Love you, Tom!\"\n\nHe just chuckled at their responses. \"You're welcome.\"\n\nAfter almost three years of saving money, he finally dared rent a flat for himself. Octo recommended this one to him. It wasn't very far from the panther's flat and cheap enough without being too small and barebones. Tom rented it for now, planning to buy it later when he had the money. He'd paid for six months of the rent and didn't have to worry about anything again, maybe electricity and water but they wouldn't cost him much.\n\nNow, he had a place to rest, a home. And it was his, earned through his sweat and blood.\n\nAnd now he had a _kitchen_.\n\nThe grey wolf sat down on the sofa. Next to him, Octo smiled and put his hand around his neck while taking a lemper with another. \"Seriously, if I'd known you could cook this good, I would've asked you to cook for me every day.\" He said with a grin.\n\nTom laughed a little. \"Nah, I just happen to be lucky that I didn't burn the cooker.\"\n\nThey all laughed. Somehow, he felt Max's gaze boring into him.\n\n\"Eh, give these ones to Theodore and those in the balcony,\" he said as he took one for himself.\n\n\"Nope, this is a treasure.\" Kevin said, already on his third.\n\nAndy and Yohan laughed. \"Yep, fuck them for not actually congratulating you.\" The lion said, his hand coming back to his girlfriend's neck. Finally, after years of hunting and sad stories of being dumped, the lion had a girlfriend.\n\n\"I think you're the one who came here just for the food, right, Andy?\" Nathan joked.\n\nEveryone laughed again at a reddened Andy. \"I did not!\"\n\nActually, Octo's hand was making him uncomfortable... in a good way. He knew he should not feel this way, but the way he was embraced made him feel the panther's hard muscles, not to mention smell his scent. He had been sitting next to the panther since he came and now he was starting to regret it... actually no he did not regret it.\n\nAlso, the panther planned to stay for tonight, so no, he did not regret it at all.\n\nBut, for the sake of his lower parts, probably it'd be best if he stepped away for a bit.\n\n\"Bathroom.\" He said to Octo. The panther smiled at him and took his arm off, only for Kevin to put his arm over his neck and pull him close.\n\n\"Cheers for the wolfy!\" Kevin said, putting his lemper in the air while pulling the grey wolf close.\n\nEveryone laughed merrily and did the same. \"Cheers!\"\n\nTom couldn't join, though, since he was pressed against the red wolf's barely clothed body. His scent was everywhere; Tom could even feel his pecs against his nape... wow they were thick. While this was hot, it was also embarrassing, so he pushed Kevin's thighs to get away. Sadly, the red wolf only pulled him closer, oblivious to his attempt.\n\nLooking up, he saw Max's looking at him apologetically from another sofa in front of him, then glared intensely at Kevin.\n\n\"Kev, sorry, mate, would you just...\"\n\nKevin finally looked at him and grinned. \"Yo, what is it, Tom? Heh, trying to get into my pants now? Y'know, you look badass with that eyepatch.\"\n\n\"Kevin, let him go.\" Max said sternly, which unfortunately went unnoticed by most of them.\n\nOcto, catching the German Shepherd's irritation, took Kevin's hand away and freed Tom. \"Kevin, let Tom go.\" He said, not as stern as Max but still enough to reprimand.\n\n\"Hey, what gives! I just wanna get up close with 'nother wolf~\"\n\nTom was starting to feel uncomfortable, being amongst Kevin, Octo, and Max like this. Octo pulled him close, while Kevin was making lewd expressions at him, while Max glared at them both intensely.\n\nWait, wait, wait how did it turn out to be like this?\n\nFortunately, or unfortunately, perhaps, Max stood up and pushed the red wolf away. Kevin protested, to which the others just laughed, and swapped seats with Max instead. Andy threw the red wolf some lemper wrappings, saying that he was too horny for his own good.\n\nYohan threw the lion some lemper wrappings in return and told him to go look at himself in a mirror.\n\nThe grey wolf wanted to sigh in relief, but now Max pulled him close to him rather roughly. Looking at the panther's fur bristling on his arm, Tom could see that even Octo was surprised. It seemed as if Max was... jealous.\n\nHe went red. Maybe it really was true. Although Max had been protective of him, his protectiveness increased ever since that night in which Max came to his dorm and pretty much confronted him. The dog kept him close, seldom letting him out of his sight.\n\nDespite that, Tom was very thankful that the dog came. That really helped him to calm down. Many nights before that, he couldn't sleep not just because he was half-heartedly clanking away writing his thesis, but also because of the nightmares. They were getting worse and worse after that fight. One night he even stared through the window for several hours, staring at the abyss.\n\nAfter that, Max kept a close eye on him. They didn't meet every day, but when they did, the dog would keep him close, making sure that he was fine and safe. They even snuggled a few more times. The nightmares had gotten less and less frequent and the call of the void had gotten fainter and fainter.\n\nIt made him happy and scared. Happy because just... _damn_, it felt like a dream, being so close to the dog. Scared because it might make him fall in love harder with the shepherd and that moving on from him would be more painful.\n\nSuch was the curse of loving someone who did not love him back.\n\nMax smiled at him, making butterflies fly in his stomach. That smile... that unlawfully handsome smile... \"How do you make this? Tastes amazing!\"\n\n\"Uh...\" he scratched his cheek. \"y'know, steaming...\"\n\nPulling him closer, Max chuckled. Oh wow, now his scent was everywhere and something in Tom's pants began to get hard. The dog's grave voice was making him shudder a bit and his tail began to wag, thumping against Octo's thigh. The panther looked at it, then at him, then at Max, then chuckled and put his glass in the air and drank the avocado juice as if toasting to him being this close to Max.\n\n_Dammit, Oct!_\n\nThe dog then released him and rejoined the conversation, to his relief. Tom was still close to him and had no intention to leave. However, for the sake of his lower parts, probably it'd be best if he stepped away for a bit.\n\n\"Bathroom.\" he said to the dog. Max smiled at him before letting him go and went back to the conversation. Somehow, Octo was smirking. Tom paid the panther no mind and stood up, took some lemper, and walked away.\n\nOnly, he didn't go to the bathroom and instead walked towards Martin and his gang near the kitchen. Lucy had given him a wooden decorated shield and she was now telling stories to them with the shield. He thanked her for the gift, but really, it was going to be kept somewhere safe and out of his sight because its brightly coloured patterns unnerved him.\n\nThe wolf stood back and leant on the wall, watching them fondly. Martin, James, Ellie, and Lucas were watching Lucy as the cat told them a story, sometimes posing with the shield for effects. She really had skills in telling stories.\n\n\"...and after that, the forest returns to the people and the people return to the forest. There's now not a monster to drive the two halves from each other again.\"\n\nThey clapped their hands at her. \"Whoa!\"\n\n\"That's great!\"\n\nThe wolf decided to come closer. \"I think you forgot the part where the people used to hunt other tribes and keep their decapitated heads as trophies.\" He said, letting out a chuckle.\n\nLucas went rigid. _\"They did that?!\"_\n\n\"This isn't about that one, _sota lu.\"_ The cat threw him a used paper cup, earning a laugh from the wolf.\n\nThe other four looked uncomfortable.\n\n\"Eh, anyway,\" Tom said as he caught the paper cup from Lucy. \"here's more lemper. There're some more there. I take it I'm a pretty good cook, _ya_?\"\n\nJames took one lemper and ate it. \"Gotta admit, you are.\"\n\n\"These are amazing, really.\" Lucas said, eating the lemper. \"On another note, how's thesis?\"\n\nAll of them except Tom let out a groan. The coyote chuckled.\n\n\"I'm pretty much done with mine,\" the wolf said casually, sipping his soda. \"I'm going to ask for a final revision next week, then propose for defence.\"\n\nEllie seethed at him.\n\n\"You are so. Damn. Lucky.\" Martin said as if he were offended.\n\nThe wolf just shrugged nonchalantly.\n\n\"Buddy, it's what, late-March and you're already done with yours?\" Lucas laughed.\n\n\"Well, I did spend several nights not sleeping, and I remember correctly someone slept through a consultation session.\"\n\nMartin almost stepped on his foot, but he was faster to move it.\n\n\"Tom's cheating, I knew it.\" Ellie said.\n\n\"I do not!\"\n\n\"Even if Tom cheats, don't you think it's better if you ask him how?\" Lucas joked.\n\n\"...that actually makes sense.\"\n\nThe wolf rolled his eyes. \"I reckon I now know how you graduated, Luc.\"\n\nThe coyote laughed.\n\nSuddenly, they perked up by the sound of someone slamming the table, followed by an angry voice, \"Kevin, watch yourself!\" Tom turned to the living room. There was Max getting angry at Kevin, growling softly.\n\nSurprised, Tom walked to them. The dog was staring at the red wolf intensely, almost baring his teeth with Octo holding him back. Kevin held his hands over his chest, for once backing down before a fight. \"Hey, Max, I was just joking.\"\n\n\"Then stop joking like that!\"\n\n\"Okay, sheesh, sorry, sorry.\" The red wolf said. \"If I don't know better, you've been very protective of Tom lately. What, you jealous or something?\"\n\nThis time, Max outright growled at him.\n\n\"Okay, that's enough.\" John said, stepping between the two. He looked at them sternly, crossing his hands. \"Kevin, why don't you freshen up a bit. Max, come with me.\"\n\nAt first the dog didn't bulge, still staring at Kevin as the red wolf stood up and walked to the bathroom with tail low and ears down. When Kevin neared Tom, the red wolf tried to smirk with ears still down and greeted him, \"Yo, wolfy.\" and gave his shoulder a pat before going to the bathroom. Tom smiled at him, then looked back at Max and crossed his arms, waving his tail in suppressed annoyance.\n\nWhile Max growling sounded so hot, it was unwelcome.\n\nWhen he saw Tom crossing his arms, Max's expression fell. His ears went up then down again, as if realising that he did something he shouldn't. \"W-wait, Tom!\"\n\nThe grey wolf huffed a bit. \"You really didn't have to growl at Kevin, you know.\" _There went the mood of the party..._ He walked towards the door, wanting to steer the shepherd away from the others.\n\nMax followed him with John in tow--really, the Doberman was the big brother of the football club, and not just because he was the oldest--and looked at him apologetically, shoulders sagging and ears flat. \"Kevin was making explicit sexual jokes about you.\"\n\n\"That's just how Kevin is.\" Tom replied, his tone gentle. \"I know it annoys you, but please don't be angry at him? You can just tell him to stop.\"\n\n\"But he did not stop!\" The dog retorted.\n\n\"And you growled at him?\"\n\nMax deflated again and looked away. Tom took a deep sigh at that.\n\nJohn put his hand on the shepherd's shoulder. \"Let's cool down for a bit, Max.\"\n\n\"You want me to go with you, Max?\" He offered, wanting to return the favour to the dog for having helped him calm down two weeks ago.\n\nMax didn't look at him, ashamed. Then, he took his jacket from the hanger and put it on. Surprised that he decided to leave, Tom panicked. \"W-wait, Max--\"\n\nMax suddenly hugged him, nuzzling the top of his head. \"I'm sorry, Tom, I... need to cool down for a bit. I'm really sorry for that.\"\n\n\"Max, don't...\" John sighed and pinched the base of his muzzle, then continued, sounding rather annoyed. \"Don't ghost us again, Max.\"\n\nThe shepherd released the hug and looked at Tom, ears still down. \"I won't do that, just, sorry for tonight, Tom.\"\n\nLetting out a soft sigh, the grey wolf smiled. \"You've been uptight lately, Max. Don't forget to take care of yourself, please? I know fights happen, but it's not really good if the captain himself gets angry.\" He took the dog's hand and held it. \"Please let me help you like how you helped me before.\"\n\n\"Y-yeah, I'm sorry.\" Max smiled apologetically. \"I'll leave now, I'll come back later. I-it not because I don't want you to help, I j-just have something else to do. Good night, Tom.\"\n\nHe returned the smile uneasily. \"Good night, Max.\"\n\nMax opened the door and exited his flat, followed by John. \"I'll return in a bit.\" The Doberman said to Tom before closing the door.\n\nWell, that was... hopefully nothing too serious.\n\nTom went back to the sofas. It seemed like the previous incident was already forgotten. They were back to telling funny stories and laughing. The wolf sat down next to Octo and sighed, taking one lemper and unwrapping it. He was anxious about what would happen with Max. If the situation demanded, he would do what the dog did to him--he would come over and confront him to help.\n\n\"How is Max?\" The panther said, noticing his distress.\n\nTom scratched his cheek. \"He's fine. John was helping him to cool down, but Max's going home.\"\n\n\"Ouch, sorry for that.\"\n\n\"It's okay, Oct.\" The wolf said as he ate the lemper, wishing that Max would really be fine.\n\n* * *\n\n\"Where do I put these?\"\n\nTom looked behind. Octo was holding a rubbish bag and several plates. The panther put the plates down next to the wolf. \"Just put the bag there. I'll trash them tomorrow.\"\n\nThe panther nodded and put it down, then went beside him and started washing the pile of dishes in the washtable that Tom had cleaned with soap.\n\n\"Uh, mate, no need...\"\n\n\"Shush, I gotta be useful.\"\n\nTom put another plate on it. \"But you're a guest tonight.\"\n\n\"Just think of me as a special guest.\" He smiled.\n\nThey went quiet and did the dishes together.\n\n\"Wait, doesn't being a special guest mean I have to serve yo--\"\n\n\"Lord, no.\"\n\nTom laughed a little.\n\nOcto smiled. \"You've cooked delicious snacks today. I'm envious.\"\n\n\"Envious because you didn't have enough for you?\"\n\n\"Envious because I can't cook like you.\"\n\n\"Why can't you?\" the wolf moved away when he was done. \"I mean, you can cook.\"\n\nThe panther shrugged. \"I'm not familiar with the recipes. I can make desserts but I don't think they can be considered snacks. Wait, are desserts snacks?\"\n\nPutting the frying pan on the cooker, Tom chuckled a little. \"I guess. I dunno though, Indonesian cuisine doesn't really have that many desserts.\" The wolf took a tempeh loaf and began to cut it. \"I'm going to cook you some fried tempeh.\"\n\n\"Thanks. Some dinner would be nice. So, what are the snacks?\"\n\n\"Technically tempeh can't be considered a proper meal just by itself so it's not dinner but it's fine I s'pose.\" He chuckled. \"There're lots of them. Bakwan, lemper, batagor, martabak, pempek... I only know those.\"\n\nOcto turned the tap off and took the cleaning gloves off. \"Any chance you'll cook them soon?\"\n\n\"I reckon I'll do sometime. Eh, you like it hot?\"\n\n\"I know I'm hot.\"\n\n\"Not that, _woi_, you want your tempeh hot chili-ful and spicy or just spicy?\"\n\nThe panther laughed. \"Just spicy is fine.\"\n\n\"Okay then. This shan't take long. Just wait in the living room.\"\n\nSeveral minutes later, Tom came into the living room with a big plate and three small bowls and put them on the table. He sat down next to the panther and picked one. \"Fresh hot tempeh out of the frying pan.\"\n\nOcto took one and ate it after it cooled down enough. \"Hmm, nice.\" He then pointed at the three small bowls next to the plate. \"What are those?\"\n\n\"The black one is _kecap_, soy sauce. No, it's not ketchup although the two words are pronounced exactly the same. The red one is sauce, what people call ketchup. The black but somewhat transparent one is salty ketchup. Or _gini_, the black one is soy sauce, the red one is regular ketchup, and the last one is salty fish sauce.\" He dipped his tempeh and ate it.\n\nThey then ate in silence, watching the television absent-mindedly.\n\n\"You know,\" Tom started after a while. This was Octo anyway, his pseudo-big brother. \"I'm glad you stick around. The place 'es a mess.\"\n\nThe panther chuckled. \"Figured you'd need company. Andy could be an ass sometimes.\"\n\n\"Speaking of Andy, how're you two going now?\"\n\nOcto gave him a curious look.\n\nTom simply took one tempeh piece and dipped it in ketchup. \"You no longer strangle him every time he makes a bad pun, right?\" he let out a small chuckle. \"You two seem to hate each other with passion, well, used to.\"\n\n\"Nah.\" the panther looked away. \"Do we really look like we're driving each other nuts? I mean, yeah, we did kinda drive each other nuts before, but we got along well since I met you.\"\n\n\"So, I'm kind of the saviour who made two football jocks get along, then?\"\n\n\"Yes. Literally. Like you would not believe.\"\n\nThey laughed.\n\n\"That time I told you you're cute, you remember? I really mean that.\" The wolf let out a fond sigh, then looked at the panther. \"You really _are_ cute. And please don't bully me for saying that you're cute.\"\n\nOcto looked at the wolf smiling, then he looked away, but not without a small blush. \"Thanks, but please quit it.\"\n\nTom laughed at that.\n\n\"Pet?\"\n\nThe panther rolled his eyes. \"...yes.\"\n\nTom leant forward and petted the panther's head. \"There, there, who's a cute panther?\"\n\nTail waving embarrassedly, Octo didn't look at him and said quietly. \"Okay you can stop.\"\n\nTom pulled away, but without a teasing smile on his face. He knew Octo was scary--he was literally one and a half his size, and he was sure that he could defeat him if he wanted to, but this... this really warmed his heart. He had come a long way in making friends.\n\n\"Just so you know, I'm a skilled fighter.\" The panther said.\n\n\"That's pretty hard to take when you're looking away and blushing.\"\n\n\"I am not!\" he turned to the wolf.\n\n\"Well, if you're a skilled fighter, then I reckon we can entertain ourselves, _nih_.\" He simply said, trying to grin wolfishly. Maybe the panther really was a skilled fighter, but he too was an experienced fighter. They could learn from each other.\n\nMaybe his grin really came out wolfishly. Octo looked at him with disbelief on his face. He then took another tempeh and booped the wolf's nose.\n\n\"Hey!\"\n\n\"Strong words from someone who can't even date properly.\"\n\n\"That really hurts.\"\n\n\"Speaking of fighters, how's you and your crush?\"\n\n\"That doesn't make any sense.\"\n\n\"Whatever.\"\n\n\"Did you really mean not to make any sens--eh wait,\"\n\n\"Just answer the question.\"\n\n\"Pfft, fine.\" The wolf leant back on the sofa and turned his head to the telly, a blush creeping up his cheeks. \"We're... actually doing quite great.\"\n\nOcto looked at him concernedly. He looked like he wanted to say something but held back. Instead, he just huffed. \"That's nice to hear.\"\n\n\"What's nice to hear?\"\n\n\"You and your crush.\"\n\n\"Thanks.\"\n\n\"Did you do the sacred thing yet?\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"Fucking?\"\n\nSurprised at the change of topic, Tom kicked Octo who was chuckling amusedly. \"What the actual fuck?!\"\n\nHe couldn't fight a blush at that though... the thought of doing _that_ with Max suddenly made its way into his mind... not that he had never imagined that... uh... yeah...\n\n\"Don't tell me you've never even thought of that.\"\n\nThe wolf was too red, but he fought back and grinned... while blushing. \"Y-yeah. I thought of that. Happy now?\"\n\n\"Who's on top?\"\n\n\"To hell with your questions!\"\n\nHe was not at all against the idea of being fucked by Max. The shepherd was... big... so big... he could really dominate him easily. On the other hand, he'd like to be adventurous too. Who knew he could dominate and top the shepherd instead. As impossible as those sounded, his imagination could still roam free.\n\n\"Don't think about it too much,\" the panther said, calming down from laughing. \"I'm curious, how's it going now?\"\n\nFinally, no more teasing. Tom let out a calming sigh and leant on the sofa. \"We're... we're doing great.\"\n\n\"That's very nice to hear.\" The panther smiled. \"Don't rush it. Just take it at your own pace.\"\n\n\"Yeah, uh...\"\n\nThis time, Octo petted his head with a smile. \"You still got thesis to do, man, don't rush things. Except if you want to be like Andy.\"\n\n\"Getting a girlfriend in the middle of thesis?\"\n\n\"Getting _two_ girlfriends in the middle of thesis. I don't envy him for his own... insatiable sexual endeavour.\"\n\n\"You mean his lust.\"\n\n\"I was putting it lightly.\"\n\nThe wolf let out a chuckle and elongated his legs, careful not to touch the panther. \"The name's Andy for you. How about you?\"\n\nOcto just took the wolf's legs and rested them on his thighs, earning a curious yelp from the wolf. \"I haven't had one in a few months, I think. I've been busy. You know, moving here and stuff.\" He took another tempeh. \"You're still living the virgin life, right?\"\n\n_Move my leg a little bit to the left and maybe I'll be forced to leave the virgin life_, he nervously thought. He just let out a shy laugh and tried to pull his legs, but the panther held them. \"Y-yeah.\"\n\nEventually the panther let his legs go, but he was enjoying it too much to move them. Shit, he forgot just how hot was the panther actually. Sometimes it just slipped his mind. Unlike Max who was a persistent \"hot, hot, hot\" in his mind, Octo was like James. Likely that had something to do with Octo not being a canine.\n\n\"You put it like it's a bad thing.\" Tom said, getting his mind off the thought.\n\n\"Nah, it's not a bad thing. It's pretty refreshing, I think, keeping yourself until you find the one.\"\n\nTom just smiled.\n\n\"And then discovering how hard it is to give head or to keep a steady pace without an exercise.\"\n\nTom kicked the panther's groin, making him laugh.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Reaching for the Stars","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1697878-reaching-for-the-stars-chapter-37-the-door-you-opened.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1705496-reaching-for-the-stars-chapter-39-the-touch-you-missed.json"}}